Bag opener



p 17, 1963 A. N. WEEKS 3,104,047

BAG OPENER Filed Nov. 30, 1960 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I. (3 FIGZ. 3 FIG. ,5

i I v I I\ 1' I I I 9 I I 9 I r I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I X I l I I I I I r I l l I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Sept. 17, 1963 A. N. WEEKS 3,104,047

BAG OPENER Filed NOV. 50, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6. 5 H 27 FIG].

States This invention relates to bags, and more particularly to the provision of a mult-iwall paper bag with means for tearing open the bag.

Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a paper bag, such as a multiwall baler bag, with means enabling the bag effectively to be torn open substantially completely throughout the length of the bag, without the provision of a rip cord, rip strip or the like, and without having perforated tear lines extending the length of the bag such as would weaken the bag; and the provision of bags such as described which are economical to manufacture. In general, the invention involves the provision adjacent one end of the bag of two side-by-s-ide adjacent thumb tabs, one adapted to be grasped by one hand and the other to be grasped by the other hand, and pulled in diverging manner toward the other end of the bag. This insures a clean tear extendin-g all the way to the other end of the bag. In this respect, it is to be observed that it has been found that if a single thumb is used, the tear obtained by pulling the tab occasionally runs out before the other end of the bag is reached, and a clean complete opening is not secured. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of vari ous possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a square-bottom bag of this invention having a dual tab arrangement on the front wall under the folded-up bag bottom;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of FIG. =1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the bag showing the bag bottom folded up towards the back wall of the bag to expose the dual tab arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of FIG. 3;

FIG. '5 is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 3 showing the dual tab arrangement;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6'6 of FIG. and

FIG. 7 is a perspective of a filled bag showing the general lines the tear will follow when the two parts of the dual arrangement are pulled.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a self-opening square bot-tom paper bag 1 which may be a multiwall bag such as is used as a baler. The front and back walls of the bag are designated 3 and 5, respectively, the back wall being the Wall which contains the usual longitudinal ply seams. The bag has gusset sides designated 9. The square bag bottom or closure is designated 11. As manufactured, bottom 11 is folded so that half of it lies fiat on the lower portion of the front wall.

In accordance with this invention, the front wall 3 is atent provided adjacent the bottom 11 and at the centerof the width of the bag with a dual tab arrangement of this invention indicated generally at 13. This arrangement includes two serrated lines of perforations 15 and 17 cut through all the plies of the front wall 3, as will appear from FIG. 6, by means of which a dual tab-forming portion 19 is partially severed from the front wall. In general, this tab-forming portion is of U-shape with the base of the U directed toward the bottom end of the bag. More particularly, lines 15 and 17 are located on a semicircle so that portion 19 is semicircular and convex as viewed from the bottom end of the bag. Each of the lines of perforations 15 and 17 terminates short of the longitudinal center line of the front wall so that there is a gap 21 between adjacent ends 23 and 25 of lines 15 and 17.

The dual tab-forming portion 19 is partially divided into two individual side-by-side thumb tabs 19a and 1% by a slit 27 cut through all the plies of the front Wall on the longitudinal center line of the front wall. This slit extends radially as regards the semicircle of lines 15 and 17 approximately from the center on which the semicircle is drawn toward but terminating short of the semicircle, thus leaving gaps between the bottom end 29 of the slit and the bottom ends of lines 15 and 17.

As appears in FIGS. 3 and 5, each of the thumb tabs 19a and 1% has an arrow A printed thereon indicating that each is to be pulled in a direction away from the bottom end of the bag and angled toward the respective side of the bag.

-It will be understood that after the bag is packed, its upper end is closed in any suitable way. For example, it may be sewn closed as indicated at 31 in FIG. 7. To open the bag, the tab-forming portion 19 is pushed in to break it away from the front wall along the lines of perforations 15 and 17 and to make accessible for grasping the two thumb tabs 19a and 1%. Then, one tab is grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, the other is grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, and the tabs are then pulled away from the bottom end of the bag and divergently out-ward in the direction of the respective arrows A. This first tears the front wall generally along lines 33 and 35 extending between bottom ends 23 and 25 of lines of perforations l5 and 17 and the bottom end 29 of slit 27 to separate the thumb tabs. With continued pulling of the separated thumb tabs away from the bottom end of the bag and divergently outward, a generally lengthwise tear 37 starts to develop from the top of slit 27 (see FIG. 7), and outwardly diverging tears 39 and 41 develop extending from the top ends of lines 15 and 17. The tabs are then pulled upwardly generally lengthwise of the bag, which results in tearing of the front wall on substantially lengthwise tears 4-3 and 45, with a relatively wide tongue 47 of paper from the front wall therebetween, all the way to the upper end of the bag. The tear does not run out before the upper end of the bag is reached, and a wide full-length opening is provided for access to the contents of the bag.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A bag made of paper or the like having a closure at one end and being open at the other end for packing, said bag having in one wall thereof and adjacent the closed end thereof a tab-forming portion and a slit dividing said tab-forming portion into two thumb tabs located side-byside adjacent one another, one adapted to be grasped and pulled by the right hand and the other by the left hand in divergent directions away from said closed end and toward the sides of the bag wherein said tab-forming portion is partially severed from. said well along a U-shaped line with the base of the U toward said one end of the bag, and wherein the slit extends lengthwise of the bag centrally of the U.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

